Imagine That

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: June 12, 2009

DVD Release Date: October 6, 2009

Plot 411: An finance exec uses his daughter's imaginary friends to pick stocks for clients.

Review: Eddie Murphy plays Evan, a bigwig workaholic who faces some competition from Johnny (Thomas Hayden Church), a new guy in his company. Johnny is using his native American roots to pitch financial decisions to clients. He swoops in and begins taking Evan's clients. During this time, Evan is babysitting his daughter Olivia (Yara Shahidi) for the week. She is having trouble adjusting to the divorce of her parents. Her mom is played by Nicole Ari Parker. To cope, she is unusually attached to her blanket, which she uses to escape into make-believe lands. However, when her fairy princesses begin giving extraordinary stock tips, Evan does all that he can to get their advice. Even though this is supposed to be a kid's movie, I think adults would be the best served by watching it. The movie has several funny scenes (I mean, it's Eddie Murphy for goodness sake), but I didn't feel like there was a ton of things to offer kids. The movie focuses on the lack of involvement Evan has in his daughter's life and how he is consumed with success and status at work. We could all heed this movie's advice and probably be better off as a result.

Watch It: But don't expect another The Nutty Professor performance.

Skip It: And set your kid up with How To Train Your Dragon instead.

Norbit

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: February 9, 2007

DVD Release Date: June 5, 2007

Plot 411: Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles to varying degrees of success.

Review: Norbit (Eddie Murphy), a nice guy, is married to a witch of a woman named Rasputia (Eddie Murphy). She has ordered him around since the day they met and he does nothing to stop it. When Norbit is reunited with Kate (Thandie Newton), a childhood friend, Rasputia's ire is unstopable. Entering the mix are Rasputia's brothers (played by Terry Crews, Clifton Powell and Lester Speight) and Kate's fiance (Cuba Gooding Jr.). I don't know how or why the idea of Murphy playing multiple characters exists in our world. But, somehow it does and there are only so many times this can work right? This concept keeps repeating over and over, even when the laughs aren't as loud and the jokes aren't as funny. I agree that the dinner table scene in The Nutty Professor is freaking hilarious, but I don't think there's been anything close to that since then. Why does he continue to use the same gag over and over?

Watch It: For Rasputia in all her glory.

Skip It: For Murphy classics from the 1980s.

Meet Dave

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: July 11, 2008

DVD Release Date: November 25, 2008

Plot 411: An alien species comes to Earth in a human-shaped space craft in order to save its planet.

Review: Seriously, this was definitely not one of Eddie Murphy's greatest hits. But, it did have some classic Murphy elements like facial and body humor. The idea for this plot probably sounded better on paper than it turned out on film. Despite Murphy having so many different movies, he always seems to play the same dude. It's a little limiting, isn't it? Also, it seems as though he's relegated himself to playing G and PG roles. Is this for his children's benefit? Possibly. But I miss the action/comedy Eddie Murphy of old. Where is that guy?

Watch It: For a movie both you and your kids can enjoy.

Skip It: If you don't have kids. It's not really worth your time . . . even if it is Eddie Murphy.

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